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First black African plays in AFL | |
(about 14 hours later) | |
A Sudanese refugee has made sporting history by becoming the first black African-born player to join an Australian Rules Football League team. | |
Majak Daw, 18, has been signed by one of the competition's most famous clubs, North Melbourne. | Majak Daw, 18, has been signed by one of the competition's most famous clubs, North Melbourne. |
He hopes his success will encourage other African migrants into the game. | He hopes his success will encourage other African migrants into the game. |
Daw and his family fled civil war in Sudan when he was nine years old, and arrived in Australia in 2003 after living in Egypt. | Daw and his family fled civil war in Sudan when he was nine years old, and arrived in Australia in 2003 after living in Egypt. |
The gangly teenager took up Australian Rules Football just four years ago. | The gangly teenager took up Australian Rules Football just four years ago. |
He has signed a two-year contract with the North Melbourne club and will start his career in the reserves while he continues to learn the intricacies of this unique Australian sport. | He has signed a two-year contract with the North Melbourne club and will start his career in the reserves while he continues to learn the intricacies of this unique Australian sport. |
Confidence boost | Confidence boost |
Daw hopes his efforts will encourage other African migrants to integrate more into mainstream society. | Daw hopes his efforts will encourage other African migrants to integrate more into mainstream society. |
"When I first started a lot of my Sudanese friends, the boys, they weren't a fan of me playing footy, they tend to hang around the Sudanese people, just one area," he said. | "When I first started a lot of my Sudanese friends, the boys, they weren't a fan of me playing footy, they tend to hang around the Sudanese people, just one area," he said. |
"I kept on telling them you need to get out and explore and know these people, because you're going to be living here all your life - you're not going to be with the Sudanese people the whole time. | "I kept on telling them you need to get out and explore and know these people, because you're going to be living here all your life - you're not going to be with the Sudanese people the whole time. |
"Me making it into AFL will give them more opportunities and give them confidence to go out there and do their own things to better themselves." | "Me making it into AFL will give them more opportunities and give them confidence to go out there and do their own things to better themselves." |
Racism has tarnished Daw's journey into the elite ranks of the AFL, but he says the taunts and abuse have only served to harden his resolve. | Racism has tarnished Daw's journey into the elite ranks of the AFL, but he says the taunts and abuse have only served to harden his resolve. |
A spokesman for North Melbourne told the BBC that the teenager had "enormous potential" to succeed at the highest level. | A spokesman for North Melbourne told the BBC that the teenager had "enormous potential" to succeed at the highest level. |
He confirmed that Daw was the first black African-born player to be picked up by a professional club. | |
In the past decade about 25,000 Sudanese refugees have been resettled in Australia. | In the past decade about 25,000 Sudanese refugees have been resettled in Australia. |
The number of arrivals has slowed as the focus of official government policy in Canberra has shifted towards accommodating those displaced by instability in Burma and Iraq. | The number of arrivals has slowed as the focus of official government policy in Canberra has shifted towards accommodating those displaced by instability in Burma and Iraq. |
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